The Onion

This thought came to mind…

………….after a music weekend away with a friend I’ve know for many years.

She always felt she knew me very well we were best friends who would talk about everything and anything, but now she feels that I’ve  changed so much, but she has too.

Since Lockdown and COVID, I’ve spent time really trying to deepen my relationship with Jesus. I start my day with prayers for my closest family, my friends, Christian friends, work colleagues and people that cross my path in need.

Then throughout that day (lunch time & at home) I listen to various Bible plans on the Bible app. 

I have found this of great benefit and it has given me wisdom and strengthened my discerning spirit.

My day job is hard, listening to callers saying they are struggling financially due to our current risen energy prices in this country.  Issues with homelessness and pending homelessness due to rising rents amongst other things. 

As I am talking for over seven hours each day so I need quality time alone to recuperate. I can’t spend 100% of my spare time in the company of others without getting to a point of burn out . 

At the weekends I need some quiet time to myself. 

Over this weekend once we were awake there was no time to have that quiet time until bed time.  Then that time was noisy too. 

Tv 📺 

These days I’m only streaming my tv from apps. Not watching Reality TV or watching soaps.

I tend to read the news online.  I can’t miss the up to date info- we get told at work the state of play so we can advise callers accordingly. I listen to personal development audio books while travelling in the car, walking or washing up.

I also follow various organisations on Twitter for real time news. 

People and their personalities are like an onion – intricate with

many layers- and sometimes you need to peel back a few layers to really appreciate what they are made of. 

My friend told me she was worried about me, that I was living in a different world to her. Sadly, this turned into a heated debate.

Wisdom and discernment has effected my motivations and what I want to spend my time doing, now in my autumn years I feel life is short and I intend to spend my free time working towards something that will honour Jesus, give money to needy causes etc.

My day job role requires me to wear a mask. First layer of an onion. There are  certain ways I have to behave and appear when I interact with others. This makes me look more logical, reasonable and analytic personality even though sometimes I feel very emotional due to individuals situations.

I have to have a non bias opinion of what others do in their lives. Equality & Diversity is all around and I am not allowed an opinion on it.  Deal with people and not judge their choices. 

I’ve spent the last 35+ years being Entrepreneurial and used the internet but most of my friends have no idea about this aspect of my life. Computers/technology haven’t been their interest but I love technology. I have learnt so much in all these years. 

Life is a journey and it’s important to move forward and embrace different opportunities and realise that our decisions to do different things shouldn’t make us wrong!

It’s important for us to say, think and speak in a positive way towards others and also about ourselves. Otherwise your life is difficult and you are drawing negativity to yourself.

I believe that Jesus has given me new friendships in the past year and I have got to know others who have been in the background of my life.

The second layer of the onion is where  your mask is taken off. People become more themselves when they are at home with  family, friends  or the ones closest to them. They are not  too cautious about how they are seen and communicate with others. In this layer we tend to take our mask off with our first connections.

The sub layers of this mid layer are personality, your values, your vision and your perspective of life.

People are here more open to talk about their real inner self.It is much easier to communicate at this layer. People are more friendly, more welcoming and open in building longer relationship.

The third layer is the deep layer which only you know yourself. It is where you hide your feelings, emotions, thoughts, desires, wishes, fears nobody can reach, It is also the layer where you hide your heart, loves, disappointments, burdens. It is called the bottom of  heart.

This layer is the sources of life time relationships and strong trust to each other.

There is another layer which is the  deepest and hidden that even people themselves  don’t know or not aware about it. Some people with so called 6th sense, can reach or read this layer. This layer has direct connection to subconscious. 

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In the last couple of years despite Covid-19 we have tried to make the most of our National Trust Membership and visit local places as well as going to other towns here in the UK.

We did manage to go to Buckinghamshire and visited – Stowe House which s a grade I listed country house in Stowe, Buckinghamshire, England. It is the home of Stowe School, an independent school and is owned by the Stowe House Preservation Trust who have to date spent more than £25m on the restoration of the house.

We also visited the Waddesdon Manor, which is managed by the Rothschild Foundation (charitable trust) on behalf of the National Trust. 

We were able to find a location to stay with the Airbnb booking engine. We also use Booking.com – we pay for our vacations using the Revolut card and get cash back on transactions

Every Loves The 80’s ❤️

You should have been here with me!

Just come back from a weekend at Butlins, Bognor Regis.

Just was a fun weekend. There must have been nearly 10,000 people there on Saturday night! The function room we were in had 3,000 people there, so they said!

Here are a couple of reels that I took.

It was the first time I have seen Limahl – real name Christopher Hamill, though I was a fan of Kajagoogoo when it was going strong.

🥂 Happy New Year 🥂

2023 – aim for the Higher Life Design…,,

Over the Christmas and New Year holidays I have been catching up listening to my Audio Books

If you are at a crossroads and need some inspiration I would recommend you purchase “Higher Life Design” written by Jefferson Santos.

I met Jefferson Santos when he came over to the U.K. when I was a representative for

World Ventures. Here is the link

The Sober Friend….

On a sobering note ……..

If you consider drinking and driving these days. With the amount of daily accidents on our roads it really is not at all wise. If you are involved in an accident and even if it’s not your fault you could loose your licence and even go to prison if someone gets injured or killed.

I’d loose my job if I lost my licence and no doubt you would too!!

In the autumn, my family made me promise not to get behind the wheel of a car after drinking, my son says he doesn’t want me to miss all the celebrations of the forth coming birthdays and Christmases in future years.

I know people turn to alcohol in times of stress. Go home after work and have a strong drink. But, I’ve cut back on drinking because my daily expenses have risen with the price of diesel and commuting to the office 3 or 4 days a week. Also, the increase in energy bills.

Actually, I feel a lot healthier for drinking less.

Busy-Busy-Busy

This week went very fast, three days in the office, every other day thankfully. Getting up at 6am can be grueling. It’s been a nightmare getting to work with the torrential rain and flooding. A259 is normally a pleasant journey in the countryside but this week I see the fields all flooded with the rain alongside the river and it filled me with dread.  

Once on the A27 traffic jams due to accidents that seem to occur most mornings. I have been getting into work late! What can I do? I’m leaving my house at 7am!  

I wasn’t the only one, all my work colleagues were stuck in the same traffic jam. I’ve started to take a flask into work with my hot coffee so I can have a drink when I get there My work bag weighs a ton with my refreshments for the day and lunch pack. I’m feeling fit and eating healthily.


Got to Bannatyne’s once this week, will do my 2nd time tomorrow after church. Next week I need to take my gym stuff to work and go there on my way back from work to fit in my 3 days. These days travelling in the dark it is easier to come back via the A27. There haven’t been any flash flooding along that road yet and back in Eastbourne by

6pm.

Survived the works party- had to go directly after my working day. I got to catch up with a few people and meet some new ones. Tried to put faces to photos but it was impossible – though I sure most would say my works photo is nothing like me face to face hahah!  

Glad my work colleague met me there after all – he was able to introduce me to some people that we speak to most days. I said I’d have been lost without him.!!

I can’t be there for everyone, as everyone isn’t there for me either – all trying to get though their life challenges 

I am very lucky to have supportive Christian friends in my life that support and pray for me.

All going through challenging times at the moment with how life is financially. Some people struggling with health issues too. 

I begin each day with prayer before I touch my phone. I know that the Lord is always with me through what ever I have to endure in my life, my heart is glad with this and from this I can draw strength. Ps 16:8

Beginning November

Autumn is a good time for reflection and recuperation and live life at a slower pace when you can after work in the evenings and weekends.

I’m grateful for the Hybrid working pattern, now it’s 3 days in the office and 2 working from home.

Love the drive in the countryside to work. This week it’s been dangerous with torrential rain, trees fallen down, flooded roads making traffic jams and sadly accidents. 😩

My town was gridlocked with traffic jams and flooded streets. Had to give going to the Health Club a miss in the week but thankfully got there today for Aqua Fit. While I was in the car I went shopping.

A friend went into hospital so no Wednesday Fellowship Group this week. Nice to have the night in 😜.

Dark evenings – the season of winter. I am grateful for the chance to slow the pace. Cost of living rises is a contribution to this. But since Covid doing less has been beneficial. Even when I met up with a friend who lives locally we spent a lot of time staying local, eating in and watching films at home. It has been lovely. ❤️

You can enjoy your life without spending lots of money.

Everyone is feeling the changes in our cost of living making everything so expensive.

My favourite band – http://www.the-big-blue.com/listings.html Been a follower since 2012. Going to see them play in various locations in East Sussex. I keep this as a commitment at least once a month.

I am quite good with money. I buy my food and snacks for work from the supermarket. Take sandwiches every day.

Other things I buy via subscription on Amazon – heavy goods like the cat food gets 15% off when ordered with 4 other items and is delivered too.

I understand the philosophy of paying by cash and locally – great for non chain businesses but some items these days are really hard to get hold of in the local store

For example bereavement/sympathy cards, can never buy them locally any more.

Got invited to opportunities to make addition income. Have a few meetings to listen in on this weekend.

I am just going to cook a small roast pork joint for myself to eat Will be ok for tomorrow too. Managed to buy some parsnips. I never think a roast is the same without parsnips. 😜

October

This month seems to have past by quite fast.

I only have one regular commitment in the week because my working weeks and days for locations are never the same. If I could do three days working from home and two in the office I could have regular commitments.

Healthwise, I try and squeeze in going to the health club either morning before work at 6am or in the early evening after working from home about 18.45pm. My daughter goes twice a week so I can go with her. A bit gruelling after work but easier going with someone else.

Spiritually –

keeping strife out of my life ‘requires willingness to constantly communicate and confront issues… prayerfully ask for the Holy Spirit’s help to be a person who avoids strife and restores peace everywhere. It’s not a simple task, people have their own inner convictions on what is right or wrong for them.

I have the calling on my life – Servant Leadership – selfless love in everything – : “(Philippians 2:4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others”

Galatians 5:14 – Love your neighbour as yourself – have an unselfish concern for others and do things for their benefit.

(John 13:34-35).

Love one another as I have loved you.

My daytime job as public servant in the local government requires me to uphold their services and not be judgemental which is in line with my faith. Not to discriminate against anyone even though I do not always agree with their way of life.

I walked another ten miles to raise money for Tear Fund – a charity my church – All Saints Church supports. – Tearfund Disaster Relief is a Christian charity working in more than 50 countries 🌎such as the Ukrainian humanitarian crisis, the East African food crises & the Pakistan flood crises. I raised £90 thanks to the generosity of my friends.

A great contrast in weather conditions here in Eastbourne . September was really lovely weather and I really caught the sun and it was sweltering hot.?This walk was a challenge with the blustery wind, rain and muddy conditions.

Someone gave me a bin bag to put over my head. 😀

Have to keep the fitness regime going as I’ve committed to walk again next September this time 50k this time up in London walking along the Thames.

Yesterday I walked into my town and back.

Now the clocks have gone back and it’s officially Autumn/ Winter it will be important to take a walk lunch time every day while the sun is shining or even if it isn’t otherwise the mornings will be dark and evenings too. Shorter days.

This Tuesday is All Saints’ Day (Or All Hallows’ Day in old English) which means that Monday evening is All Hallows’ Eve – known by nearly everyone these days as ‘Halloween’. Traditionally All Saints’ was a day to remember and celebrate those who have “Died in Christ”- those who have lived lives reflecting Jesus’ love and have now “gone to glory.”  Indeed, in countries such as Poland, All Saints’ Day is still celebrated by families gathering together to put candles on the graves of loved ones – and by Monday evening Polish cemeteries will be aglow with the light of millions of candles.

Our British Halloween traditions originate from village communities where local children would dress up to mock the “powers of darkness” on their last evening of influence before their defeat when All Saints’ Day dawned. 

These celebrations weren’t a sign of evil’s power – quite the opposite – they were a celebration of Christ’s victory over evil.

But modern Halloween celebrations seem to have turned in a much darker direction, with shops filled with increasingly dark and unsettling costumes. Gone is the light-hearted teasing of a defeated enemy. Instead there seems to be an embrace of wickedness, with none on the light of All Saints’ Day.

We live in a world where evil and pain really exist and whilst many will see this years Halloween celebrations as harmless fun, it may come at an unseen and unintended cost. Are we looking towards the light or are we wrapping ourselves in darkness?

See you in November….

September

September went fast.

Ultra Challenge Day went well. Met a few new people (women) that enjoyed walking. Discussed doing a similar challenge next year. I said it would need to be flatter, enjoyed the sunshine and got a lot of exercise. My feet survived it. No blisters thankfully.

Week 2 – not so good- thought I had a Gastritis flare up, chemist gave me “Milk of Magnesia” which really seemed to give me a burning sensation in my gut. For a long time, I was unable to eat anything. Just drinking sips of water and lying in bed due to having a fever. Went back to work on the Thursday and found two others had had the same issue.

Week 3 – my long awaited vacation but due to a type of gastric flu not able to venture out too much. Most plans for this week cancelled because of the death of Queen Elisabeth.

In a way I was grateful not to have to go up to London even though I had been looking forward to seeing my Entrepreneurial friends. Not seen them in person since before lockdown/covid. Actually, I’ve not been on a train since before Covid either.

I have just been driving in my car and using the bus. Started my Sussex Gospel Partnership Bible Study Course, one a month for 2 years.

Week 3- On my week off I went to the local health club, went to watch some friends playing in their bands at various venues in Hastings.

Week 4 – Then I was fortunate to be able to work from home for a few weeks.

Discovered I had lost 10kilos. Now I can wear my super dry jacket again.

Keen to keep up the fitness regime. Making sure I actively walk or go to the gym weekly to walk on the treadmill.

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